


The legends of Naruto Gaiden: Afterlife

by Deidara_Masaki



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2020-07-11 10:57:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19926955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deidara_Masaki/pseuds/Deidara_Masaki
Summary: The fourth great ninja war found an end. Naruto became Hokage and married the Byakugan-princess Hinata Hyūga. Now they all await a baby and live happily in peace. But some people are lost in memories. And with them, some dark chakra, which is just found in the legends from the bijuu, will become released. It all starts, as a lost soul, filled with light, comes back to life....A mystery with much puzzle, action and some romance! Read a story, which became a legend, coming from Iwagakure, which includes every village, everybody and something in all of us!Have fun reading,un!!! KATSU!!!!





	1. A miraclous reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! As you noticed I am new here and I am thankful to be able to join! I am writing many stories but started to translate them. (I actually am German and also wrote only in German),un!  
> But I want to share my stories to everybody so you also have a chance to take my explosive mist,hmm! 
> 
> Have fun reading and welcome to my world yeah!
> 
> ART IS AN EXPLOSION,HM!!!

Golden light shone down from the side above us ... A flower sank slowly down. Many beautiful leaves, covered in the softest rosa, fell with her. Brushed over the underneath dust, in which the flower had fallen to....

„How shall we forget, when you have given us so much...?“,a gentle female voice asked to the wind, „This sight resembles a silver glass, built up to honor the soul that lies under the beautiful flowers...“.

Short black hair swept with the wind. It answered with a gentle breeze from the north. The woman raised her head to the sky and stared at the bright sun. It seemed to be warm and cast gentle shadows through the treetops in front of us. One found a grave. The tombstone was made of white marble. The name could not be read by the reflective light. Only a few bouquets were left on the area. Many other graves lay beside the one in front of which the young woman stood. It was a cemetery where many great warriors found or should find peace. The dark purple dress the woman wore, wafted with the warm wind. This exuded an aura of memories. She remembered a speech by the great Hokage of the latest generation, Naruto Uzumaki, coming from Konohagakure: „The Akatsuki were exploited for a bigger plan! But they pursued the same goal as we did: bringing peace over the world of Ninja! And even though this was a brutal way, they took, I understood Nagato very well, and Obito fought with us, against Kaguya! So they should be forgiven, for their crime they have done!“.

A tear crept over the tender face of the young woman who still stood in front of the grave. Her coal- black eyes glittered in the water of sadness. It was the reigning Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi. Her grandfather, Oonoki, was been buried a long time ago. It was a heavy loss for her. And now... She was very attached to the person who was lying at her feet. She took a deep breath. It was difficult for her to say these words, ,,Forgiveness is the first way to peace. It takes many forms, I hope you would accept it ... and you will find peace here next to us!". The blossom blew faster in the sudden wind. ,,I just wish I could see you standing in front of me, but, in the end… Maybe we'll just see each other in our dreams again…", she finished her speech with a pleasant smile. The young woman bowed graciously and left this place slowly. The earth stirred with the wind. Leaves danced wildly in the treetops.

The clouds moved with the days.

Rain fell ..

Sun shone ...

Night broke ...

The morning woke the world ..

People were trundling through the markets ...

Fights were been taken in the mountains ....

Reports were been written and carried to the leaders ...

A new dawn broke ...

Time was racing. The hill of dirt shook. The breath grew louder. There was a gasp. Something was smashing and rumbled. Wood splintered. Suddenly a hand shot out of the grave into the surface. There was a shiver and blood spurting out of a few small abrasions marked in the skin...

_Darkness…_

One evening, Kurotsuchi sat with her old father, also, with her right hand, Akatsuchi, and ate some cooked rice with colorful vegetables. She was into the work by reading some documents by, which concerned the lists of the new Genins. Akatsuchi mumbled with relish and then pleased, „Mnomnom, may I get have some more flesh?“. Kitsuchi, who had grown much older and already had a gray beard, nodded and pushed the meat plate over to Akatsuchi. Akatsuchi sincerely thanked Kitsuchi with a slight bow, ,,Thank you, Kitsuchi-sama!". Then he started emptying the plate.

Kitsuchi grinned relaxed and then looked over at his busy daughter. „Kurotsuchi, don't you want to rest a bit? Put the paper off the table and have dinner with us!“. Energetically Kurotsuchi sighed and murmured, she whispered, „I can't! I have to work.“. Kitsuchi frowned. ,,Daughter, you worry me! Since a month you are just rushing and you do not give enough time for yourself! Take a break!". „You believe that because you are catching me up while working all the time! You cannot know, what I do behind your back!“, Kurotsuchi raised her head and looked gravely at her father. He was annoying her too often. Even if she was 28 years old, her father treated her like his princess. She had enough of that. Kitsuchi stared back at his daughter. His eyes told her, that he just meant it good. She sighed exhausted. ,,But dear father, you want the best I know. Please, I am sorry.", she slightly looked at an angle of the table. Kitsuchi turned back to his bowl and sipped his soup, which he often ate with the regular dish. He seemed to be fine with the apologize of his grumpy daughter.

Kurotsuchi wasn't only busy with her work, but also with her thoughts. She was dreaming bad in the last months. The woman dreamed of dark streets and bloody hand prints signing the pitch black walls. It seemed, as she would walk an endless path into a black hole in the end. Obviously, she had seen worse things than that. Shadows running around her. Like once, she saw a shadow on a shelf and then it scuttled away suddenly. It was not a ninja. Even though the very rare gift existed, that humans can turn invisible. But the signs of a chakra were missing. That made a sinister. At most with the reason, that it all started, since her grandfather was gone. The feeling becomming-

Suddenly she was been awakened by a knock at the door. Kitsuchi lowered his bowl to the table, shouted, „Come in!“. An Ionin entered the room and bowed, „Lady Tsuchikage, I'm sorry to disturb you in the latest hour! But I have an urgent message for you!“. Kurotsuchi turned with the chair to the subordinate and took the reserved scroll to her own chest. Then she looked at the person and nodded, ,,Thank you for coming fastly!“. ,,Haii!“, emphasized the Ionin and immediately disappeared. Kurotsuchi turned back to the dining table and opened the scroll by loosening the loop on it. Meanwhile, Kitsuchi and Akatsuchi watched her. The Tsuchikage rolled upthe paper and began to read. Urgently, Akatsuchi asked her, „And?! What is it?!“. Kurotsuchi's eyebrows went to her forehead. „That's impossible!“, she thought terrified. Kitsuchi read the shock in the eyes of his daughter. So he bowed his head slightly, to see her face and asked more gently, „Daughter?“. Kurotsuchi shook the disbelief from her head and answered after a slight hesitation, „It says that an area of about 5 kilometers, is completely destroyed.“. „Do you know why? Or by whom?“, Kitsuchi asked. The Tsuchikage shook her head, „No, but I'll find it out! Tomorrow I'll get up and take a look at it!" "I'm coming with you!" Akatsuchi asked her to join the trip without hesitation.

In the next hour, Kurotsuchi was already gone to bed. She had to rest. Even if she doesn't necessarily want to live up to her father. She rolled under the blanket. From right to left from left to right. Sweated, she shook her head slightly. "No... No…no…", she whispered scared in the sleep and turned away from the window.

_Darkness...._

She recognized outlines of black brick walls. She was wandering aimlessly. Her heart was pounding her. It was cold and wet. Her feet were bare and kicked into smooth puddles. „Where am I-?“, she asked desperately. No one else was to be seen than her own shadow. She was completely alone. The black-haired woman started to run. Ran and ran. Her skin splashed into the icy waters of the puddles. It seemed like she was in a labyrinth from which she would never escape. The further her bare feet made their way, the more her mind was filled with amazement. Because no bloody handprints were to find on the walls. Confused, Kurotsuchi looked around and soon, after a long-lasting hike, she found a strip of light around the corner. Slowly the young woman approached the place. That was new to her. When she arrived, she peeked around the corner and she found a gate, made of pure light. Kurotsuchi's eyes widened. She did not know if she was scared or admired ....

_Light covers the sight..._

Suddenly a bang hit the glass. Kurotsuchi jerked awake and looked tiredly to the window. She could not believe what she saw until she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A white bird flew and flapped its wings against the window. Kurotsuchi didn't knew why, but something brought her to go to the window. She threw the blanket aside, scrambled out of bed and slipped to the glass. When she opened it, the bird flew off in the direction of the forest. The young woman looked after the creature peacefully. But suddenly it stopped. Flyed in the air and stared back at her. Kurotsuchi did not understood. Confused, she frowned. Does it wanted her to follow him? The bird came back and pulled wildly her hair. „What is that supposed to do?!“, the black-haired woman immediately shrugged and narrowed her eyes. Then the bird hurried away again. Kurotsuchi could not properly recognize it by the wild wing beats, which kind of bird it was. However, when she looked up at sunrise, she took the decision to follow him.

The long red dress put on. She took her sandales. Combed hair…

She hurried out off the building. She ran after the winged creature as fast as she could. It wanted to show her something. She was sure of that. The woman jumped into the forest, where she scurried like a shadow over the branches. The obstacles, like thick branches or rocks, at the bottom were always in the way. She wanted to know what the bird wanted from her. It sounded so naive. Maybe she just dreamed. But something inside of her told her, that the bird, was familiar to her. And the closer she got to the destination, the more she felt a familiar and comforting presence. Explain, she could not do it herself. But there she reached the target. Because the bird disappeared into the shadow of a cave. Kurotsuchi stopped in front of her and looked at the rock. She had arrived at the cliffs of the village. A wide landscape was visible in the horizon. The sun was just rising. Birds started to twitter. The black- haired Kunoichi enjoyed the view into the open air. It was really beautiful. For a long time she could not leave the village because of her post as Tsuchikage. It was a breathtaking sight.

But when she looked briefly to the ground, she noticed something. Amazed, she approached the find. It was a huge print of a bird. She knelt down to take a closer look. Suddenly a male voice sounded. „Hm, so you have come all the way? Respect!“. Kurotsuchi widened her eyes and rose quickly, turning to the cave where the voice came from. It was very dark. And with the echo also a little scary. Maybe she was lured into a trap! The Kunoichi, however, remained calm. She couldn’t explain why. She hadn’t felt threatened. Neither from the silence of the environment nor because of the bird that appeared out of nowhere. However, Kurotsuchi doesn’t wanted to take any risk. So she pulled out a kunai behind her back to be armed and ready. She had a queasy feeling about all this. Slowly, she bowed her head and asked solemnly, „Who are you? What do you want and does the bird belong to you?“. One heard the smirk of the other through a soft sigh, „I thought it was obvious! After all, I am the creator, of this wonderful creature,un!". Footsteps came closer. Kurotsuchi widened her eyes more and more. This voice. The way the person spoke. It was so familiar to her.

The figure came slowly into the light. The woman's coal-black eyes shook with excitement. Her heart was shaking. This mysterious encounter was too scary for her. Especially after the dream hours ago. The person wore a long, dark brown cloak. Under the wide cloak the person suspect a white top and lightly, black pants. Kurotsuchi gasped her thoughts, holding the kunai strong behind her back and held her breath. It looked like it was traditionally dressed for a funeral. The black and white was symbolic of the yin and yang. This ensured that the soul, unconcerned with the act of balancing out of life itself, could reach the realm of the dead. So every dead shinobi was been dressed in Iwagakure. The figure took off his hood. The Tsuchikage does not believe her eyes, „How…How can it be-?!“. Long blond hair roamed in the wind of the cliffs. „It's you…?“, she stammered, ,,Deidara-nii-?" The blond slowly widened his arms, smiled, „Yes, it's me, un!“. The wind was blowing harder around the two Iwa-nins. A miracle had happened ....

„But-how ...?“, Kurotsuchi asked baffled.


	2. An unknown deception

Birds chirped in the sky. The morning slowly approached. The sun shone gently over the mountains in the horizon. It was warm around the characters.  
Frozen, Kurotsuchi stared at the suspicious person, as it would be a ghost. To the person who claimed to be, for her seen, big brother, Deidara. His long blond hair swept out of the fabric around the neck of the wearer. There was a long quiet silence over this scene. Only the wind was around their ears.  
The figure bowed its' head. This threw a whimsical view of the Tsuchikage, which made no sound. ,,You look like you're seeing a ghost,un!”, he joked a bit to lighten that moment a little. Kurotsuchi doesn't moved a single centimeter. Her muscles were as tight as they were clutching on her bones. Her spit left away. What should she say, or even think? 

Soon, the blonde closed his gray eyes and took a quiet step forward, „It’s me…!“. Suddenly a strong fist slammed into his cheek and his face was flung aside. He stepped back to keep his balance. Kurotsuchi took a deep breath. Jumping out of their paralyzed shadows was more than tedious. Nonetheless, she was able to hit the person in front of her. Now the person did not moved an inch more for a moment. But then, he moved upright, stroking his thumb over the corner of his mouth to clean off a little spit. He looked up at her and said, „You still beat like a little girl,hm!". Kurotsuchi's eyes widened again. Suddenly she remembered how a young, blond boy once told her the same thing, when they were training together. The black-haired woman felt her heart leap in all directions, causing her knees to soften. The stranger, who soon got a more comfortable appearance, doesn't seem to mind the pain. He just looked at her. With a warmth in his eyes. Even though their colour was as cold as the rain clouds in the autumnal wind. Kurotsuchi realized that he hasn't used a transfiguration jutsu, as she had initially suspected. And these clothes. Was he raised from death?  
Shortly thereafter, she jumped at the person and threw her arms around his neck. '' Oh my-DEIDARA-NII! '', she screamed and shed tears of joy. The person addressed, looked down at her gently and put his arms slowly around her back. Then he stroked her gently up and down and whispered, „Yes, Kurotsuchi,un...“. The black-haired woman sobbed in his arms, snorting the own nose, then let him go. She looked him into the only eye which was to see and said fallen in emotions, „You live!“. He smiled again and nodded. The Tsuchikage shook her head and studied his eyes more closely. They were as clear as the water in the spring. The gray in the iris shimmered pure. He was not caught in a jutsu. No Edo Tensei. And a Genjutsu could not track her down. The chakra should be recognizable. But it doesn’t come to a strain, as it could happen in a regular Genjutsu. It also doesn’t seem like a dream.  
In complete confusion, she then asked her dead-believed brother, „How-?“. Deidara looked at her for a moment, then raised his hand and looked at it with a deep, thoughtful look. Then, when he realized that all this was really happening, he looked back to the Tsuchikage and answered bared, „I do not know,un..“. This answer caused her goosebumps over her whole body. She paused. The black-haired woman doesn’t wanted to admit it, but the answer, scared her out.

Moments later, both Iwagakurians sat on a rock at the cave. The sound of a waterfall was to hear, which was miles away from them. „How did that happen? I mean, do you know, what you felt, as you came back?“. Deidara tried to describe it to her as well as he could, „I barely remember the time before I opened my eyes again, if that's what you want to know,un. But what I felt was, that the air was very hot and stuffy. I could barely breathe. Or even recognize what I saw. I felt as, I was dead,un.“. Kurotsuchi bowed her head curiously forward to see his face. She wanted to read his emotions off his appearance. „My skin was burning. Every muscle pulled to the nerves and pain. Every bone was heavier than metal. And at some point I woke up... I hit into something with each movement I did and I got, well, a little panic,un.“. With each sentence, the blonde hesitated his narrative. He had to process it, what he had actually experienced at first too. In the meantime, he looked down at the grass and paused nervously. Kurotsuchi gasped, „You were in a grave?". Deidara shrugged, „Obviously.“. With the answer, she felt into thoughts and looked down into the grass as well. She tried to understand and to put herself into his position. How he felt…  
Deidara then stared up at the sky and saw the sun bringing the morning. It had become nice and bright. The colors came back. He smiled peacefully. „It was beautiful to feel the air again, as I reached the surface with my hand,un.''. Kurotsuchi looked over to him. Deidara ran his hand over the palm of his other hand to give his mouth in it, a little tenderness. Although he was able to take the pain well, the muscles were not quite in tact. Kurotsuchi watched him silently until he continued to report with a slight discomfort, „But what I found….was scary,un.“. „What? What did you see?“, Kurotsuchi asked firmly.

//Flashback starts\\\

„After reaching out to the surface with my hand, to pull myself out of the shards of wood and the endless darkness under the earth.. I found myself weary and dirty around and found a cruel destruction. The trees and flowers were burning. Also on the graves and treetops. It looked like I was born in hell. It was hot around me and stones were crushed to dust... Everything around me was destroyed within a hundred meters, and...“

//Flashback ends\\\

As his memory faded, he closed his eyes once to calm his soul, and then he looked over at his childhood friend, who was in shock. Deidara swallowed first, then shook his head and rose from the rock. „It was art that raised me from the death,un!“. Kurotsuchi did not believe what she was listening to. The cemetery had burned? Why didn’t her subordinates told her anything ?! Or was the message lost in the tower of papers?

Kurotsuchi also got up and whispered, „You are insecure by yourself, aren’t you, brother?“. Deidara came up in surprise and sighed, „Of course not! I told you! The art will not pass! Even if I'm already dead,un!“. "As stubborn as ever", Kurotsuchi realized in spirit and she sighed after, „Then I have to arrest you, Nii! You are a criminal!“. „What about the other Akatsuki, eh?“, a sad question interrupted the Tsuchikage. The black-haired woman jumped in surprise and looked at his blond back of the head. Deidara stood with his back in sight to her. His body does not reveal what he felt at that moment. But his voice in the question, told her what his heart was measuring with. Kurotsuchi looked at him sadly and commented brokenly, „Nii ...“. The blonde stared into the horizon and asked so emotionlessly he could to conceal them, „Are they…also alive,un?“. Kurotsuchi hesitated, „As far as I know, you're the first person I met back again...“. Deidara closed his eyes and lowered his head regretfully, „I see,un.“. The wind swept into the horizon.  
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Kurotsuchi took a deep breath and said variously, „But I have to arrest you! Even if you grieve!“. Deidara turned around and spoke furiously, „You can not stand it, can you?! To confront myself with the past! I don’t regret anything I did,un! ''. Kurotsuchi immediately shook her head and shouted, „Not because of the deeds of the past! If you have been alive for days, it may well be that you are responsible for the destruction that I heard about last night!“. „What kind of destruction?“, Deidara asked baffled. Kurotsuchi closed fingersigns to activate her jutsu, „Don’t act as you wouldn’t know anything!“. Deidara pulled his hood over his head and raised his hand to steady himself. It became more than brittle, „What are you talking about,un?!“. „Yesterday night a report came in that at the borders of Iwagakure and Takigakure a vast tract of land was been destroyed! From the sky to the last corn of the dust!“, the Tsuchikage declared what it was about and became spiteful, „And I don’t know anyone who would be able to do something like that, than anybody else like you!“. Confused, Deidara for the first time remarked in astonishment, „It wasn’t my work-..“.

Kurotsuchi positioned herself, ready to attack the blonde Akatsuki, who gave her this implausible answer. The Tsuchikage shook her head irritated and giggled nervously, „Very funny Nii! You love to blow everything up! You can’t disagree by that!“. Deidara growled angrily. He doesn’t wanted to defend himself but had no other choice in his condition, „Do you think so?! It's true that I like to do art! But do you really think I would be able to do such an excellence in my position?! When I opened my eyes again, I could barely see anything or recognize anything! I was so weakened that I could only move slightly across the ground! Creating a giant soundbird, shortly after the event, was a huge mistake for me! Because soon after the action, I fainted and slept through the whole day,hm! How could I?! Explain me that,un!“. Kurotsuchi noticed how strongly he defended himself against the charge of destruction and believed in him in the end. Normally the blonde in front of her would have been more than proud of his work, he found in the destruction and the fire. The explosions. However, not this time. So she straightened up and loosened her stance. „Then, we have the unwavering question: who was it then?“, she looked over at the artist, who was overconfident. Therefore the blondd slightly raised his hands to show her that he doesn’t had a clue about this. The acting Tsuchikage nodded and turned aside. „Alright,“, she said calmly and then smiled at him, „Come on!“. Surprised, Deidara gave a start and strummed wide-eyed. „I have to explain some things to you! And take you to my village!“. Deidara arched his eyebrow and thought in amazement he hide in his tgoughts, „Her village?“. „You have a lot of catching up to do!“, the kunoichi said loudly and made her first steps. The artist followed her like a shadow.  
The two of them then headed for home: Iwagakure.

......  
......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With no regrets or hesitation, Kurotsuchi, the Tsuchikage, pulled the ex-Akatsuki with to her village. As we all knew, the criminal was known for his murderous actions in the past. How will the villagers react to his return? Also, what brought him back and what was responsible for the destruction in the borders of Takigakure?  
> Will Kurotsuchi find the answers in the graves?
> 
> All of this and much more, you will read in the next chapters! 
> 
> ART IS AN EXPLOSION,HM!!


	3. It's the beginning, not the end

A breath softly sighed. It was as gentle as a breeze and yet as strong as a newborn heart ...  
A body floated weightlessly in an ocean of warmth and security. Light splintered into a thousand parts through the uneven reflections of the uneven surface above us. They stroked the soft skin of the floating body, whose lungs were filled with air. With life that started to beat. With golden hair, which drove upwards in an unusual way. Since the body was floating in the same direction like the hair. As it was a shell. The body itself was asleep. But the breath was still heard. The gleaming light on the skin was getting clearer and more radiant...

Suddenly we found ourselves under singing birds. The beautiful creatures flew gently out of the treetops into the vast sky.   
One arm showed up and let us focus on it. The sunlight held the skin securely. It was Deidara with his hood up. The sun was very dazzling. But he didn't want to stay in the shadows like Kurotsuchi did. She walked along the trees because the sun was too bright for her. The blonde raised his head and looked at the white sky around the sun. Kurotsuchi also stopped and looked back at him, "Come on Nii! We're an hour away from the village!". Deidara stopped and watched the birds flying under the light. "Nii!“, hacked the female voice thoroughly. The blonde then stared up to her and walked alongside her.

"Well, a lot has changed, Nii!", The Tsuchikage started to tell…

The two wandered through Iwagakure's market square. Meanwhile she announced the most important things, "The war is over. Obito Uchiha had fought with us to eliminate the ultimate threat. A goddess named Kaguya.". Deidara listened dully and stared straight ahead. "Naruto the boy is Hokage and has married. Just like Darui and Chojuro, they are Kage in their realms. Gaara has remained the same.". Suddenly children surrounded them. They laughed playfully and asked excitedly, "Lady Tsuchikage!". "Lady Tsuchikage?!". Kurotsuchi smiled peacefully at them. "When do we have our first training session?". They asked many similar questions confusedly. But the black-haired woman knew how to deal with it, "One after the another! Your time at the academy starts in two weeks! Depending on how good you are, you can be divided into a team in two or maybe even a year! Do you best! ". The children cheered and nodded, promising their mentor, doing their best. Deidara looked at her with a slightly disgusted look. She was Tsuchikage? He couldn’t believe that. 

After the children ran away, she turned back to the artist and was been confronted with the look. "UH?". "And you didn't want to rub that to my nose, that you are Tsuchikage. Didn’t you, huh?", he asked grumpily. Kurotsuchi couldn’t hold back her laugh, "Hahaha! Nii! Do not tell me you're jealous!". She lifted her index finger up to his nose. Deidara then turned away and said, "Don't be silly! I'm glad I'm not tied to a desk and have to do boring paperwork,un!". Kurotsuchi smiled, "But you're pissed off, because it's me, right?". Deidara rolled his eyes in the shadow of the hood.  
Suddenly a strange feeling came over him.   
Deidara felt eyes starring at him. This moment seemed to slow down the time itself. His heart started to punch up into his neck. But not in the good sense. He stared around silently and took a deep breath. "Come on Nii! You don't have to be angry!", she put her hand without minding anything on his shoulder, "Better me than-". Out of nowhere, his mind was struck by lightning and for only a little moment, he saw a picture of an old man. Dying in bed. "Gah-!", he slapped her hand off him and took a step away from her. Kurotsuchi looked at the blonde in surprise. Deidara had to take a deep breath first. He grabbed his head firmly. He had an excruciating headache. To resist the pressure of it, he biten his teeth, "Ngh-". "Nii-? Is everything okay-?", Kurotsuchi asked worried. From her point of view, his appearance looked bad. Slowly the pain in his head disappeared and with it the energy he had felt on his shoulder. Still, the picture still hung in his mind. He got up and looked over at the Tsuchikage. Confused, she repeated the question gently, "Nii? Is everything okay?". The longer he had it in mind, the more he realized what it meant. With it, his expression fell into self-pity. He pulled off his hood and whispered sadly, "Old geezer, I'm sorry,un.". "Hm?", Kurotsuchi tilted her head. Deidara looked at her and said louder, "I'm sorry for your loss,un. The old cracker is dead, right?". "Uh-how did you-?", she wanted to know from him, "I didn’t mentioned anything like that-". Deidara grinned, "Yeah, right-it's just-", he tried to find an explanation. But telling her what had gone into him sounded too crazy to believe. Even for himself. Then he answered, "Well, if you're Tsuchikage now, then it must be that he must have bitten into the grass, and-." The black-haired woman was a little confused, "Nii-I took his office when he was still alive. If you had come three weeks earlier, you might have seen him again." Deidara swallowed as it became too creepy and then ran quickly to avoid the feeling, "Whatever-". Kurotsuchi took a deep breath and hurried after him, "Nii!". When she caught up with her she said, "I have to go to the cemetery. I couldn't do it before, because my documents are in chaos at the moment. Please! Come with me! Maybe you can find out and explain more to me!". Deidara didn't really liked the idea. But since she asked him politely, he decided to go with her.

Arrived at the cemetery, they found a devastation. The cleanup was in full swing. Many Shunin and Genin were among them to accomplish their little 'mission', to tidy up the mess.  
The fire and smoke had long gone out. Kurotsuchi looked at her big brother, who had covered his face in shadows, because he wanted to remain undetected. The village was his home. He came from there. If someone recognized him, he wouldn’t be hunted only, but also the trust in the Tsuchikage would be questioned. Who would pick up an ex-criminal, who has had so many lives on his conscience? "How do you feel?", she asked the artist, as they stopped. Deidara hesitated very much with the answer, "I would call it, strange,un.". The Tsuchikage took it calmly and said, "You can do it! Maybe we'll learn more about this mysterious thing!". Deidara nodded as she put her arm around him and squeezed him a little.

Suddenly Kurotsuchi noticed a careless genin and hurried to them, "Hey! What are you doing?!". She let the artist go. The arm ripped away from his own. Deidara felt strange again. A strength. Moves. He felt life around him. It was weird. And beautiful. The blonde listened to the sounds and the enjoyed the breeze of the wind for a little moment. That was life. Beautiful and magnificent.   
At some point he looked down at the graves and began to wander. The flowers were burned, but did not crumble to dust like many such materials do. A little color was still in them. "Beautiful," he thought. The blonde bowed his head a little in surprise. They were still so beautiful. Despite the power of destruction. They have retained their beauty. There is something profound about it. But also mysterious. Something incomparable happened in this place. The artist lowered his head and soon found the grave from which he had come.  
Murmurs breathe in the air. There was a lot of excitement and noise coming from the helpers. They all seemed busy and didn't even notice that the ex-Akatsuki had been there.  
Deidara looked around and then sneaked over to the grave…  
He didn't know why, but the closer he got to it, the heavier was it to take his steps. And the air, too thick to breath. His soul became nervous. He felt it in his heart. Maybe he didn't wanted to see it after all. But maybe that would give him the answer to the question of how he got there. So he settled against his own will and reached the edge of the grave from which he had escaped. The blonde was amazed. His name was on the tombstone. Even his last name. The fact that he was assigned a grave even though he became art in an unique way, made him flabbergasted. But with his filed last names? When he looked deeper, he found two picture frames. Kurotsuchi and he were seen on one. And on the other....  
Deidara widened his eyes. His heart seemed to have stopped for a moment. He grabbed his chest in shock and accidentally he looked into the grave himself.  
Then he opened his eyes wider.  
He felt a tremendous emptiness, it was too fast, you squealed in the light of uncertainty, blurred face was recognizable, it is a ghost, but it was too warm, it raced too fast…!!!!

Suddenly there was a cruel scream. "AHHHHHH!!".

Kurotsuchi immediately moved up and recognized the voice, "Nii!". She jumped up immediately and rushed to his aid.  
Deidara was bowing more and more to the grave as if he were being drawn into it. But at some point he felt that he had pulled too far forward and he pulled himself back into the level earth. Made it out of his own will, "Gah!!". Suddenly a burning pain in his stomach welcomed him, which crawled up to his chest. Deidara couldn't control herself and shrieked, "GAH-what-is that-?! HRAAAH !!". This pain exceeded the greatest imaginations. There was nothing against his loss of both of his own arms years ago.

Civilians stood around him in shock, holding their breath. Some men wanted to get involved, but didn't know how. "AHHHHH!!!!!", he clung to his stomach and clawed deep into the earth next to him with his other hand. Kurotsuchi threw herself to knees right next to him and carefully put her hands on his shoulder and hip, "Nii!!! It's me! Nii!". When she touched him, she received a boiling heat. Her fingers heat up the longer she touched him. "Dh-Nii! What's wrong?!". Deidara tried to take a deep breath and calm his mind. He could only hear her voice very weakly, but felt her hands touching him. He looked up at her slowly, his eyes trembling. This pain took away all his strength. Where did they come from?! "Gh ...-", the artist groaned exhausted and soon he fainted. His head fell like a stone in the dust beneath him. His body relaxed completely. His eyes closed at the same moment. "Nii!", She shook him firmly and completely worried, she called the sanitary to herself, "I NEED A DOCTOR! NOW!". The ninjas did not hesitate long and brought a unit to themselves.  
Completely beside her and with wet eyes, she spoke gently to the unconscious brother below, "Everything will be fine, Nii! Hold on!". Shaking hands held his soft cheeks over the dust. Deidara was no longer available...

It's not the end, it's just the beginning ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just recognized, how wonderful life was, Deidara found himself different than he usually was. What was happening with him? Could Kurotsuchi help him out and, how does she wanna make him an accepted man in the society? 
> 
> Find it out in the next chapter of "The legends of Naruto Gaiden: Afterlife"!
> 
> KATSU!!!


End file.
